Machine for



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WILLIAM R. GREENLEAF AND ALONZO COLE, OF GERRY, NEV YORK.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING VENEERS.

T0 all whom t may concern Be it known that we, IVILLIAM It. GREEN- LEAF and ALONZO Conn, of the town of Gerry, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a newl and useful Improvement in Machines for Cutting Veneers, which is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

Figure lisa perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the stock with a depression in the same to receive the knife. Fig.- 3 is a cross section of the knife and stock as seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 another kind of knife with a plain adjustable stock-a cross section and the face being shown. Fig. 5 perspective view of one of the screws, ear, ratchet-wheel, and spring rack. Fig.' 6 elevation of one of the divided-nuts, circular plate, and arm,- spring and pins-the nuts represented as being disengaged from the screw. Fig. 7 represents a third form of knife without a separate stock.` Fig. 8 represents oneof the socket set screws for adjusting the knife to the gate and the screw which screws into it. Similar letters refer to similar parts in the figures.

` The frame of this machine consists of two posts, A A, rabbeted on the insides and mortised and tenoned into two parallel sills, y

B B, and united at top by a cap, C, mortised and tenoned on the top of said posts. The sills are secured together by three cross sills, D D D, also tenoned into the sills B B. In front of the posts is formed a bench, or table, about half the height of the frame, whose sides E E are grooved on the insides to admit two parallel slides G G to which a vertical head block is secured, to move back and forth in said grooves.

The vertical head block F, (to'whichvthe piece of timber from which the veneers are to be cut called the veneer bolt is secured) is mortised and tenoned to the parallel slides G G which move in the aforesaid grooveson the insides of the parallel side pieces E E, of the bench. rIhe said head block is perforated with a number of round perforations to admit screws I-I for holding and adjusting the bolt, some of which are made sharp pointed to enter said bolt and others blunt to press against thev rear side of it-so that when it rests rmly on the bench ifits side in their points, which screw into and pass should not lie :flatagainst the front face of the head block, that said blunt screws may `be screwed against the bolt and thusform a irm supportl for it, without the necessity of sawing or dressing the bolt to tit the right angle formed by the bench and head block.

Two horizontal parallel screws I I pass through the head block near the end thereof extending from the rear to the front Vside of the bench and arranged for the head block to move over back and forth, having'journals on their ends-'those on the ends which are from the knife turn in two socket set screws J J, or in short screws with cavities through tw'o short standards rising above the top of the bench; and the ends ofv said large parallel screws I I, which are toward and near the posts of the frame turn in two ears, K K Fig. 5 each divided into two parts and inserted into the sides of saidl posts of the frame, on the extremities of which screws projecting beyond the ears arelfixed ratchet wheels L L. The head block, before described, with the veneer bolt secured to it, isfbrought toward the knife by means of the two revolving screws I I and a divided nut, or female screw M, M, attached to the head block-one for each screw-whichi's closed in order to putit into gear with the screw I for moving the head block toward the knife, or opened in order to ungear the nut'to allow the head-block to be drawn back, which operations are effected inthe following manner--by the means described.

The nut M M is first made in one piece,`-' its thread corresponding with the thread of the screw I with which it is to engage ,-it is then divided into two lequal parts, to each of which a tail piece N is added; and through each tail piece a pin O is passed entering the head block 'and serving as its fulcrum. From each tail piece there projects horizontally outward a small. pin I which enters segment grooves Q Q in a circular plate R, which'turns onv a pin', S, passing through. its center, yinto the head block-said circularplate having an arm T extending from'its periphery a suiiicient distance to give the required purchase for turning it in closing the parts of the nut7 as hereafter described; and from the extremity of which there projects horizontally, outward, a short handle U by which said arm is moved around andthe circular plate turned on said center 110 pins S, when it is required to close the nut.

To gear the divided nut M with the hori1` zontal Vscrew I, lay `hold of the handle 'Il and move it around till it be above the top Y of the head block; then secure the arm inv the position represented in the drawing Fig. 1 by means of a notched s bar, W, moving around horizontally on a vvertical pin X inserted into the top fof the head blockthe vertical ,circular plate Vwill thus be turned in a 'manner-to close the parts of the divided nut, (which have `a movement ,like a pairV lof pincers) andgrip the screw I andthus'A become engaged, or in gear, therewith ;-and

at thesame time a spring Y, connected by one of its ends to the head block and its other end resting on Va pin V projecting horizontally from the circular plate is contracted or bent back by said movement of the :circuf lar `plateg--the'n when the notched baris pushed around and disengaged upon the i arm, (which is effected by a part Z of said notched bar, turned at right angles, striking against the fender post A when ,the head block has advanced as far as it is intended that it should go, thecircularp'late is instantly thrown around to its former position by the action of saidi'spring in endeavoring to extend or straighten itself; which operation throws asunder the' parts of the.` nutV and thus disengagesthem from the screw.

` There is a similar divided nut, vcircular grooved plate and arm, right anglednotched bar, spring, pins, &c., to'those just described arranged and applied to the other large horizontal screw I in like manner, which `screw in the perspective view Fig. 1 is hid by the slide Gr butis represented in Figs. `5` and 6;

When the nuts are both in gear with the screwsII andthe screws are turned the head block, with the veneer bolt will movetoward the knife. Y' Y Y y j The screws II are turned inthe following manner. To the knife gate are attached two spring racks a, a, by means of screws, b Z), passed throughoblong slots c cin Ithe upper ends of the racks-the teeth of said racks being made hooking upward. Now, as the gate descends to'make afcut the racks slipover the teeth ofthe ratchet wheels without. turning them, butwhen the gate ascends the j teeth of the racks take/hold ofthe teeth of Vtheratchet wheels, turnthem around Vas far` as the set of they-racks will permit-@thus causing the screws I to turn and the head block Fv tomove toward thel-knifeg--jand should it be'necessary to advance 'the `head v block farther, in order to cut a thicker veneerv the screws b must be loosened and thespring racks'` a raised on the shanks of the screws and Vthese must be againltightened, which will cause more teeth of the racks -to act on the ratchetwheels, and of course to turn the screws II, to which they are attached, a greater. distance around and of course to advance the head block `a farther distance forward.

The following is another mode of turning the screws which may be adopted if preferred.. The racks for turning theratchet wheels may be hung on pins so as to have a -pendulous movement, and as the gate `descends to fallbackinto grooves, orirecesses, in the sides of the gate Vout ofthe way of contact with the ratchet wheels; and when the gate ascendsthey are thrown out so as to gear with the ratchet wheels by means of cams attachedto the fender posts against which the racks strike.

Y The gate to which thecutting knife issecured consists of two parallel verticalslides l Z connected together by three cross tim# bers mortised and `tenoned into VV'themsv-the lower one is placed horizontally-the other two obliquely or inclined at the same angle `with the required position of the-knife. The

side and inclined pieces ofthe gate are recessed, or cut away, to admit the casting forming the `stocks-ifor holding the knife which, is secured therein by screws. j

The knife e is madeV ofthe Vbest 'cast steel and iron, concave on theback sidein ,order to bring the"knifgkto4 a quick cutting edge l without weakening the 'j blade," fromf which edge itfrises in front vertically `nearlyV 'usL half its width forming the vfrontfazze 'which will be toward the veneer bolt ,-itthen slopes back atan angle of about thirty live j s degrees; extending at that angle a distance `a little `morethan the ywidth `of the front face,with the last mentioned'inclined line it forms a right angle until itmeets the curve line, or concavefside oftheknife--the vlast mentioned `straight line may be considered the back of the knife. j A suitablenumber of perforations are made through the Vknife to `adnflit'the-screws for securing it to the lstock.

and in said stockthere are also `perforations ,forV screws cfwhich secure the stock to the gateywhich screwsarescrewed into socket set screws passing throughv the gate by which the knife stock, is secured Vand adjusted to the gate. 1 -By turning these socket set screws to the right the lupperv edge of the stock is receded from'the gate, and by turning them `to the left it is advanced toward the gate and receded from the"` bolt, Vthus setting va part 'of the stockwhich formsa shoulder la with apertures c' in said stock corresponding with those in the knife to admit the screws which pass through the knife into said stock. The upper part of the stock forms a pla-in rectangular plate; which isv screwed to the gate by screws 7c, which pass through the stock and screw into the socket set screws, which pass through the gate from the back side-said screws 7c being for the purpose of securing the stock to said socket set screws, so that by turning the set screws in female screws in the gate the upper part of the stock is moved to or from the gate.

VThe back of the knife stock at f Fig. 3 projects at right angles to the plate; it then turns down and forms the shoulder beforeA described for the back of the knife to rest against as shown at 7L 71,; and from this shoulder the casting runs off along the back of the knife to a sharp edge wherey it reaches the front face of the knife-being sloped at the same angle with the slopedpart of t-he knife which fits against this part of the stock.

The ends 0 .of the stock extend down below the cutting edge of the knife and are firmly braced by brackets which stand at right angles to the plate for strengthening the stock.

We sometimes use another kind of knife instead of that above described. It consists of a flat blade p F ig. 4 straight on the front face and concave on the back face with a sharp cast steel cutting edgeits end projecting down below the cutting edge and the blade near the upper edge or back is perforated with a number of holes for screws which secure it to the gate and also with oblong slots g near the cutting edge to admit screw bolts 1 for securing it to a rectangular cast iron stock s for strengthening the blade; and which stock rests against the under side of the upper inclined cross piece of the gate; and the holes for the screws that secure it to the gate are in the same position as those in the plate of the stock of the other knife. The slots are for the purpose of allowing the casting to be raised as the edge of the knife wears the under side of the inclined cross piece of the gate being cut away to allow it to be thug raised. This knife is fastened to the gate in the same manner that the stock of the former knife is secured and is adjusted in the same manner.

For cutting very thin veneers and when the knife is required to perform its office without any vibration or yielding we make it very thick, strong, and broad on the back so as not to need a stock for strengthening it. This knife is made vertical on the front face-concave on the back face-and horizontal on the top which forms the back through which it is perforated vertically for screws that secure it to the under side of the lower inclined cross piece of the gate:

the ends `are turned at right angles to the front face'formingflanges and perforated for screw bolts which screw them to the inn ycave or back face-v is the top or backe-w w are the flanges.

The movement of the Vgate should be regular and not too fast and may be effected by attaching the connecting rod of t-he gate to the back of a large bevel wheel m,near the periphery thereof, which is turned by a small bevel pinion, n, into which the large one works having on its axle a drum around which passes a band leading from the driving power which may be steam, water, horse or manual-and when the latter power is used a simple lever will be sufficient to move the gate.

It is no doubt well known that veneers are generally cut from cross grained, or curled stuff, very thin, and that it is absolutely necessary to have them perfectly true or even to be of any use, and therefore a knife for cutting them must not only possess a fine cutting edge, but must also be made extremely stiff and unyielding, and must be held firmly to the gate. We are well aware that machines with sliding gates and knives for cutting Shingles, staves, and other kinds of thin stuff are in use; but they are not capable of cutting the kind of veneers referred to, in consequence of the knives not being suiiciently stiff, or unyielding; in this respect we believe our machine differs very essentially from all others; and also in the construction of the feeding works; in both respects the desired object is obtained in a cheap, simple, and easy manner.

In the use of this machine there is no loss of stuff in cutting the veneers; whereas in the use of the saw, the saw-calf, where it is sawed, is as thick as the veneer itself and consequently one half of the stuft' is wasted. And the saving of stuff is certainly an object since it is only the most costly and beautiful woods that are cut int-o veneer. The expeditious manner in which veneers are cut with this machine also give it an advantage over other machines. lt is found by actual experiment that one of our machines (with a steaming apparatus for softening the wood) will cut more than sixteen thousand superiicial feet in twelve hours. Its simplicity and cheapness are also among its advantages. A good machine sufficient to cut stuff three feet and a half long can be built for fty dollars, whereas a machine for sawing veneers costs from three to five hundred dollars. And the small quantity of power required to operate this machine may also be mentioned, being not more than one horse,

.and even a single man can operate it by ico iis

y12kt Vbefore described.

.2. The mode of bringing forward the bolt to the knife by means of the combination andV arrangement ofthe large horizontal parallel screws and ratchet wheels on the ends thereof, `the divided nuts, circular *Y plates, arms,` and. notched bars attached to the head block,v and the spring racks attached to the 1 knife Vgate for turning -the ratchet wheels andscrews as the'gate ascends for bringing. forward the head block: with the veneer bolt to the knife as before described.

3. Thernode herein described of setting the knife by Ameans of the socket set-screws, 25

one of which is seen at F ig.

`WILLIAM R. GREENLEAF. p ALONZO COLE. Witnesses:

WM. P. ELLIOT, EL. MAHER. 

